Nepal
Yaks, Yetis and Sherpas
April 28th - May 12th 2022
3520 USD Single
HOSTED BY:
MICH IMMELMAN
OVERVIEW
Nepal offers you adventure, untamed nature and myriad wildlife, culture, and religion, and much more.
For the culture seekers and history buffs, the Kathmandu Valley, home to the country’s capital city, at the junction of Asia's ancient civilizations, is host to seven World Heritage Sites, temples, shrines, and monuments over two thousand years old.
This itinerary features: Kathmandu | Pokhara | Trekking | Chitwan | Kathmandu .
ITINERARY
Day 1 - Arrive Kathmandu (Breakfast/Dinner)
Arrive Kathmandu International Airport on the morning flight – QR or EY.
Assistance with Visa at the Airport – Pre-purchased for all guests.
Welcome with a Rudraksha Band while boarding the coach. Transfer to the hotel by Deluxe coach with an accompanying guide. Welcome on arrival at the hotel with Aarti, tikka, and nonalcoholic welcome drink. Distribution of keys and check-in ( standard check-in time 14h00)
Optional: Rooms on immediate occupancy (Check-in time 14:00)
Lunch at a restaurant in the hotel (on direct payment basis). The remainder of the day at leisure. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at hotel in Kathmandu Overnight at hotel in Kathmandu
Day 02 - Kathmandu (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Visit local NGO SABAH NGO SABAH Nepal – Visit the showroom & Interaction Sabah Nepal is a social- business organization which works towards strengthening the livelihoods of poor and marginalized women home-based workers (HBWs). Since its establishment, it has been zeroing in on its mission of empowering the rural and urban poor women working in the informal sector through economic self-sufficiency.
Organization: what SABAH does, introduction to the outreach program, etc. (coffee or masala tea and cumin biscuits. Organic and gluten-free!).
1100Hrs Tour of Sabah TFC: the production process of the textiles (weaving unit, knitting unit, cutting unit, garment construction unit, etc.)
1130Hrs Weaving class: try to make your own piece of fabric, from the very beginning (handloom). (Note: this experience is available on weekdays only)
Later proceed for lunch at ‘The Village Café’ ‘The Village Café’ run by - SABAH Nepal, a farm to table concept.
The ingredients of the cuisines are grown and prepared by the women home-based workers of the nearby villages with careful attention to freshness and authenticity, and they themselves come and cook in the cafe kitchen using their inherited traditional culinary skills to give you the taste only to be found in home-cooked food.
After lunch proceed for a visit to Patan Durbar Patan Durbar Square Square (UNESCO World Heritage Site).
Patan Durbar Square Patan Durbar Square has been acclaimed as one of the finest urban streetscapes in the world. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Sites, it echoes a slower time, with old men in traditional caps playing cards on wood and brick plinths. The 17th-century Royal Palace stands on Patan Durbar Square. Its three courtyards, Sundari Chowk, Mul Chowk, and Mani Keshav Narayan Chowk, were once home to Malla Dynasty kings. Scattered around it are temples. Some like the pagoda-style Golden Temple, the shikhara-style Krishna temple with 21 gold pinnacles, and the Kumbheshwar Temple with its five-tier roof, date from the 12th century.
Walking tour of a narrow lane to see the Metal Craftsman at Work & drive to Patan Industrial Estate.
(The industrial estate is the industrial area for Lalitpur Districts has several workshop showrooms where you can find some of the most delicately crafted carpets, metalwork, and woodcarvings).
Authentic Nepali Dinner with Cultural Show at Thamel House Restaurant. Overnight Kathmandu.
Day 03 - Kathmandu - Pokhara (Breakfast/Lunch)
Buffet breakfast then check-out, board the coach and depart for Pokhara.
Optional: Flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara (30 mins)
Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara, en-route stop for a rafting adventure session. Arrive at Raft boarding point and continue with the activity (3 hours to rafting point) Raft boarding point and continue with the activity (3 hours to rafting point).
After rafting de-board and proceed for lunch at the Riverside Spring Resort (Kurintar). Lunch at Riverside Spring Resort (on direct payment basis). Post lunch drive to Pokhara (110km – 4 hours) and check-in.
Dinner at lakeside as per preference (on direct payment basis).
Overnight Pokhara.
Day 04 - Pokhara - Bhumdi (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast take a scenic drive towards Kharre Kholla.The drive is along the Tansen/Bhairahawa Highway and takes only about 30 to 45 minutes depending on the traffic. Upon arrival at the spot, ascend uphill for about an hour to
reach the first rural community of Kalabang. From here, we
will begin descending towards Bhumdi. Upon reaching Bhumdii village (1,520m), you will be able to witness the grandeur of Mt. Annapurna, Mt. Machapucharre (Mt. Fiishtail), Mt. Himchuli..
Drive Duration: 30-45 minutes
Trek Duration: 3-4 hours approx.
Overnight Bhumdi.
Day 05 - Bhumdi - Panchase Bhanjyang (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. We start today’s hike early in the morning. During clear weather, we get the chance to view the great Himalayan panorama on our trails. We will climb uphill and pass
through thickets. Continuing our ascending walk through
the forest and then on to Bhanjyang, a small settlement at the foot of Panchase, we conclude this day’s hike. Panchase Bhanjyang which is a wonderful settlement located at the foot of Panchase Hill is famous for bird watching and its views of Pokhara Valley and Phewa Lake.
Trek Duration: 5-6 hours approx. Overnight Bhanjyang.
Day 06 - Panchase Bhanjyang - Bhadaure (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
Our trek guide will wake you up early in the morning to exploring the Panchase Danda where you have to climb 500 meters from your campsite to enjoy the breathtaking views of the Himalayas including Lake Phewa in the foreground. Approximately 1 1/2hours trek to the last point. Return to the campsite for breakfast and proceed on with your trek. The trail descends for a while and follows the ridge to Bhadaure where lunch will be prepared and served.
Trek Duration: 5.5 – 6 hours approx. Overnight Bhadaure.
Day 07 - Bhadaure - Pokhara (Breakfast/Dinner)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
Board the coach and transfer to Boudhanath. Visit of Boudhanath Stupa. Boudhanath is Kathmandu's thriving Buddhist enclave and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built in the 5th century AD, this colossal and ancient Stupa is one of the biggest in the world and has all the seeing eyes of Lord Buddha in four cardinal directions, keeping the eternal watch over the people and their doings. This spherical Stupa is held in great veneration both by the Lamas of Nepal and Tibet.
It not only a peaceful place of worship but also a riot of color. The ivory and yellow stupa in the center is wreathed in rainbow-hued prayer flags. Maroon-clad monks walk clockwise around the stupa, turning prayer wheels with their right hand, and lighting lamps.
The circular complex is filled with the energy of chanting monks and Buddhist devotees. On arrival, the guests will have free time to walk around and soak in the local ambiance.
Lunch at a local roof-top restaurant (Hotel Tibet International) overlooking the view of Boudhanath Stupa.
Later visit a carpet showroom, followed by a briefing by an expert and display of manufacturing process of these Nepalese carpets.
Later proceed to Pashupatinath temple. The Pashupatinath Temple is a famous and sacred Hindu temple complex that is located on the banks of the Bagmati River, approximately 5 kilometers north-east of Kathmandu in the eastern part of Kathmandu Valley, next to International airport. The temple serves as the seat of Nepal’s national deity, Lord Pashupatinath. This temple complex was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites' list in 1979.
If time permits, guests can watch the evening aarti(prayer ceremony) at the hotel. Dinner at a local restaurant (on direct payment basis).
Overnight Kathmandu.
Day 08 - Pokhara - Bandipur (Breakfast/Dinner)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
After breakfast check-out and board coaches for the drive to Bandipur. Driving distance: 75km Driving time: 2 hours
Bandipur is a small but beautiful town in Nepal that has retained its 18th-century architecture and is equivalent to a living Newari museum. Time seems to have stood still here, although it has taken a lot of effort to preserve this magic while developing the town as a destination. Derelict buildings have been reborn as cafes and lodges, and temples and civic buildings have been pulled back from the edge of ruin. On arrival, lunch at a local restaurant (on direct payment basis). The remaining part of the day at leisure for guests. In the evening dinner will be organized with a local family.
Later return to the hotel and retire for the night. Overnight Bandipur.
DAY 09 - Bandipur - Chitwan (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Later, check-out and board coach for onward drive to Chitwan. Driving distance: 96km Driving time: 3 hours Arrive at the lodge in Chitwan. Welcome on arrival followed by check-in. Lunch at the restaurant of the lodge. Remaining time at leisure. Overnight Chitwan.
Day 10 - Chitwan (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
Buffet breakfast at the lodge. Full day jungle activities- Canoeing, Jeep Safari, Village walk, etc. Return to the lodge for lunch.
In the evening visit the local Tharu community to see their ethnic local crafts, weaving, etc.- get a sense of what their world and lives are like through interactions with the locals.
The Tharu people are an ethnic group indigenous to the Terai in southern Nepal and northern India. They are recognized as an official nationality by the Government of Nepal. The origin of the Tharu people is not clear but surrounded by myths and oral tradition. The Rana Tharus claim to be of Rajput origin and to have migrated from the Thar Desert to Nepal's Far Western Terai region. Tharu people, further east claim to be descendants of the Śākya and Koliya peoples living in Kapilvastu. Tharu people have been living in the eastern Terai since at least the 10th century. Dinner at the lodge.
Overnight at lodge in Chitwan.
Day 11 - Chitwan - Bhaktapur (Kathmandu) (Breakfast)
Buffet breakfast at the lodge. Check-out and proceed to Kathmandu.
Driving distance: 199km Driving time: 6 hours
Optional Optional: Flight to Kathmandu (30 minutes)
On arrival, board coaches and transfer to Bhaktapur. Lunch at a local restaurant in Bhaktapur (on direct payment basis). Home of medieval art & architecture, Bhaktapur Durbar Square still retains its rich medieval aroma. A city of farmers, Bhaktapur is also known for its pottery and weaving. It is the most charming and the best preserved of the valley’s three cities. A visit to Bhaktapur includes a visit to the ancient gateway, the Durbar Square, the Royal Residential Quarter of Bhupatindra Malla, the famous five-storied temples of Nyatapola in Pagoda style, Batsala temple, Bhairavnath temple, Duttatraya temple, Pujari Math & Palace of 55 windows.
Try your hands at pottery making at Bhaktapur. In the evening witness the local life in the Durbar Square. Visit the temple and enjoy the music and prayer ceremony conducted during the evening.
Dinner at a local restaurant (on direct payment basis).
Overnight Kathmandu.
Day 12 - Bhaktapur (Kathmandu) (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
Morning at leisure for the guests. Lunch at a local restaurant in Bhaktapur. Afternoon at leisure. In the evening take a tour of the Bhaktapur Durbar Square and participate in local activities, for example- learn how to make a Thangka painting.
Dinner at a local restaurant in Bhaktapur. Overnight Kathmandu.
Day 13 - Bhaktapur (Kathmandu) (Breakfast/Lunch)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
After breakfast, take a scenic drive towards Khare Khola. The drive is along the Tansen/Bhairahawa Highway and takes only about 30 to 45 minutes depending on the traffic. Upon arrival, ascend uphill for about an hour to reach the first rural community of Kalabang. From here, we will begin descending down towards Bhumdi. Upon reaching Bhumdi village (1,520m) you will be able to witness the grandeur of Mt. Annapurna, Mt. Machapuchare (Mt. Fishtail), Mt. Himchuli. Drive Duration: 30-45 minutes Trek Duration: 3-4 hours approx. Overnight Bhumdi.
Day 14 - Bhaktapur (Kathmandu) (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Morning visit to Kathmandu Durbar Square. Kathmandu Durbar Square is also referred to as Hanuman Dhoka Square, a name derived from Monkey King Hanuman whose statue is installed at the entrance of the Palace. The square is located in front of the old royal palace of the former Kathmandu Kingdom and is one of three Durbar (royal palace) Squares in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Visit its many ancient temples among which the most unusual is the Temple of Kumari or the ‘The Living Goddess’ where a little girl lives in her temple residence showering blessings to her many followers. Visit the Hanuman Dhoka the ancient Royal Palace complex which comprises a series of 14 courtyards of which Nasal Chowk is still used for Royal ceremonies including coronations. Later experience a local rickshaw ride from Durbar Square through the busy market streets of Thamel. Lunch at Melrose restaurant. After lunch proceed for a Nepali coffee experience. A two-hour immersion into the world of specialty coffee - its production, process, hand roasting, brewing the best cup, and learning how every by-product can be used to upscale and create value. It will be conducted at Nepal’s premier Coffee Boutique-Karma at HUB in Thamel. An expert leads you to a full understanding of coffee - it's farming, the process by which it reaches the cup, along with demonstrations of hand roasting, drip brewing, and tasting the finest single-origin Karma Coffee. You also learn about the different ways the coffee experience extends beyond the cup giving thorough coffee experience. (Note: this experience is available on weekdays only).
After this, transfer to the hotel. In the evening head to Babarmaha Babarmahal, a place lined with handicraft shops and restaurants.
Dinner at the Chez Caroline Restaurant. Overnight Kathmandu.
Day 15 - Kathmandu Departure (Breakfast/Lunch)
Buffet breakfast at the hotel.
Visit to Paper Industry, Bansbari. A Hand Made Paper Products Cooperative is a handmade paper and paper products making unit. It uses waste materials like cotton rags, waste paper, agriculture waste like banana fibres, straw, and water hyacinth. The production process is environmentally friendly and paper drying is based on sunlight. There is a water treatment plant to process wastewater.
General Welfare Prathisthan (GWP), Sister concerns of Get Paper Industry (GPI) allocate 4% of its sales to fulfill our social responsibilities. Girls Education, AIDS Awareness, Environmental activities, and income-generating activities are our major social activities. There are 5 primary schools, which are built or renovated by GWP. More than 200 girls are getting scholarships every year for attending schools, as girls are still discriminated against for education. Brief introduction of the organization: What GPI does?
Enjoy today’s Lunch with the staff of GPI.
(Note: this experience is available on weekdays only)
Afternoon at leisure and some free time for last-minute shopping.
Dinner at the hotel (on direct payment basis).
Transfer to the Kathmandu International Airport for the return flight
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
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Single Accommodation
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Meals as specified in the itinerary
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Transportation by private air-conditioned coach as per itinerary
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Services of an accompanying English speaking guide
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Entrance fee to the monuments
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Authentic Nepali dinner with a cultural show on day 02
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Day rafting followed by lunch at Trishuli river
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Trekking to Chumdi with Sherpa, Porter and local guide
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Annapurna Conservation Fee + TIMS Fee
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Trekking to Panchase Bhanjyang with Sherpa, Porter and local guide
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Trekking to Danda with Sherpa, Porter and local guide
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Trekking to Naudanda with Sherpa, Porter and local guide
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20 Minute foot massage at Tranquility Spa in Pokhara
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Dinner with a local family in Bandipur
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Poolside dinner and cultural dance in Chitwan
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Full-day Jungle activities like Canoeing, Jeep Safari, Village Walk
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Pottery making experience in Bhaktapur
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2 Hour coffee experience in Thamel
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Visit of Get Paper Industry followed by lunch with Staff in Bansbari
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All applicable Government taxes on the date
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Daily supply of bottled water and wet wipes during sightseeing and transfers
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:
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Any Domestic or International airfares & airport taxes
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Visa, Personal insurance
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Expenses of personal nature like telephone calls, laundrycharges, etc.
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Alcoholic drinks during meals
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Visa Fees
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Porterages at airport
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Gratuities for hotels, restaurants, drivers, sherpas, guides porters and helpers
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Services not listed in above inclusions
What our guests say:
I would like to thank Michele of Curious Journeys and her team in India for the incredible trip they put together for myself and my Friend. We stayed in great places, had incredible guides in each city and had the most incredible driver throughout our trip. And when things went awry when the Covid19 hit both home and India and we decided to cut out trip short, Mich worked with our Travel Agent who we had booked our flight with to get us home . The India team has also organized a refund from the hotels that we did not get to.
We were able to keep in constant communication with the entire team through our travels if any questions came up, and when we needed to make changes because of the virus we were accommodated without question.
Much loved India, it is her passion and it shows in everything that she does. - Kim Gaynor Wiehe
